An Observasion

[rkrdr2]

I think we're just gettin old, we use to burn rubber, draft cards and pot, now we just burn time.:bigsmiley28:

Lol...I think your right,it's just an age thing....what seemed so important 30yrs ago sure don't apply now..my Dad would tell me.."Son the reason you don't live forever is because you could never adapt to the changes"....The older I get this sure seems to be true...rip Dad

 

[HDDon]

For me it started in 1981. I had an XS850 Yamaha at that time. I worked offshore from Grand Isle La. and rode from Birmingham Al. on a 7 on 7 off schedule. I never had a windshield up to that point but Vetter came out with a fairing they call The Rooster. I did offer a fair amount of protection, compared to nothing, but also had a place to install a radio and speakers. That was it for me. Haven't been the same since.

Lol...I think your right,it's just an age thing....what seemed so important 30yrs ago sure don't apply now..my Dad would tell me.."Son the reason you don't live forever is because you could never adapt to the changes"....The older I get this sure seems to be true...rip Dad

Joe I guess your right, it started for me with a '75 Z1B, after owning it for about a year I put a Vetter SS on it and rode from Orlando to Mexico City solo.
rkrd, your Dad was a wise man!

 

[walleye]

For me it was after four annual rides of 3K plus. I seen the comfort, the cruise, the music, the storage, and the stability in all weather my compadres were enjoying on the Ultra's. I finally got one and have ever since thought, "Why did I wait so long". To each his own. It is kinda like a color TV, once you have one thats it. I have no regrets at all. I also think that whatever you ride, as long as YOU like it, thats all that matters. Just ride safe.:s

 

[The4opps1]

Some of the "cruiser" bikes made by HD are really nice looking, and exceptionally road worthy. And for just tooling around town, who wouldn't like a Sportster. But, like other posters, I do love my Ultra......And it is probably just a matter of perspective, which is just another way of saying that I'm getting older....

 

[SkootchNC]

I was sitting here thinking...When did the big surge in owning a Touring bike with a fairing happen? I recall at the start of this decade the four most popular bikes had to be...Heritage Classic..Road King...Fat Boy and the Wide Glide..(rip) The Low Rider was also very popular. I am not saying there was no Ultras and Classics out there...but nothing like you see now. No one talked about needing a radio,much less a Navigation,you saw very few bike's with windshields. I am thinking that when MoCo brought out the Street Glide..05' I think,,The trend really started to change. I wonder what another ten years will bring...will it go back to more of a traditional bike? or will they be more like the Gold Wing... which I like to call.... Accord convertibles...

Bikes, and riders evolve...... We rode bikes that we bought on the cheap, and built them, the way we wanted to. exchanged parts with each other and bartered skills, engines, trannys, were part of winter living room furniture.
We rode for one hour... then we wrenched for one hour....

Some of us parked the bikes, some of us kept riding. Many of us survived our younger days, and now we WANT to ride, and be comfortable. Moco has abandoned the youth market , and has pinned it's star to the "boomers" well we are all older than we were, and those of who ride around town.. want "around town bikes" those who want to tour... buy the big bikes....

If my having a big ol touring bike means some one I don't know.... thinks that means I'm not a "real biker"... that's ok with me....I don't know him, and I don't care what he thinks.....

Don't get too wrapped up in who rides, or thinks what..... do your own thing.

 

[Merlynn]

Used to think I gave up my minimalist mindset when I traded in my RK for an Ultra. Well just got back from a Toy Run yesterday and saw my first Goldwing fully tricked out with an air conditioned hard top sidecar.

Now my bike doesn't feel like it's overdone at all. Just the bare minimim for 2 up comfort.

 

[sportyhorse]

An Observasion (music)

I agree to a degree with most of you, mut maybe bc I am still young the ONLY music I want to hear on my bike is the rumble of my engine. I feel that the whole windshield/music thing takes away from the ride (although I can see windshield for long hauls). The big dif 4 me btw a car ride and a bike ride is this........ In a car one takes a ride THROUGH the countryside........On a bike ine takes a ride IN the countryside. essentially a rider is connected to the enviornment he rides in, hot, cold, wet, windy, etc. I would not be surprised if I get a bigger bike, just not a radio, my wife can have her ipod. I want to hear the road.

 

[nakkers]

I'm not there yet but, do agree that I see more touring models now than say, 10 years ago. Haven't really given it much thought as to why nor, do I care. Same thing with scooters. More and more "near" motorcycles on the road every day. Whatever floats your boat and gets you on 2 or 3 wheels is fine in my books.

 

[Breeze3at]

Re: An Observasion (music)

I agree to a degree with most of you, mut maybe bc I am still young the ONLY music I want to hear on my bike is the rumble of my engine. I feel that the whole windshield/music thing takes away from the ride (although I can see windshield for long hauls). The big dif 4 me btw a car ride and a bike ride is this........ In a car one takes a ride THROUGH the countryside........On a bike ine takes a ride IN the countryside. essentially a rider is connected to the enviornment he rides in, hot, cold, wet, windy, etc. I would not be surprised if I get a bigger bike, just not a radio, my wife can have her ipod. I want to hear the road.

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I can remember when I thought windshields were for "older" riders, then I got tired of the occasional lump on my head caused by a big bug. I first went to a windscreen, then windshield for "long trips". Then the windshield stayed on longer and longer. I still didn't want to listen to any music other than my pipes. During this time, my q.d. saddlebags stopped coming off around town.
Then, the Electraglide came home. Sometimes the radio is on, sometimes off
sometimes soft, other times loud. I guess what I'm gettin' at is I loved riding when I was young and strong, I still love riding, now I'm not as tough as I was, But I still ride.

 

[Wayne R]

I think you should ride and do what makes you happy no rules my ride has to has to have tunes a cb a windshield and some storage space I added the detachable tour pak on my Road King 5 years ago and never took it off why not an Ultra? only because I like way the Road King looks, my preference We all like what we like. :cheers:cheers